At the end of a 2-day workshop organized by Africa
Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), Benin City, in
collaboration with Foundation for Sound Mind and Crisis Intervention
(FOSMACIN), Uyo, Journalists were told to make the government at all levels
accountable to the people.
Participants
at the workshop agreed there should be a sustained synergy between media
professionals and Civil Society Organisations in engaging the Akwa Ibom State
Government on institutionalizing good governance so as to fortify efforts directed
at holding government accountable.
Participants at the two-day workshop in Uyo |
The
workshop appealed to Akwa Ibom State Government to put machinery in motion to
enact relevant laws such as Fiscal Responsibility and Public Procurement Laws
among others, to strengthen good governance practice in the state.
In the
communiqué issued at the end of the workshop participants also agreed that the
media should more than ever before focus on issue-based analysis and reporting
in order to achieve their agenda setting function.
It also add
that “the media should move away from reporting and laying emphasis mostly on
government activities, but also make effort to report the people’s condition,
position on issues and demands such that they are able to bring to the front
burner reports that are of utmost benefit to majority of the people”.
The
participants called on “Akwa Ibom State Government to walk the talk on
industrializing the state to provide the needed employment for the citizens”.
The
workshop which took place at EMMJM Hotels and Suites held in pursuance of “Strengthening Oil Revenue Management in Niger
Delta Project Phase II” which ANEEJ is currently implementing with support from
EED Germany lasted between 14th and 15th November 2012 with the
theme, “Engaging
the government; holding the government accountable; making the government
responsible, building an enlightened and active citizenry”.
The workshop, apart from seeking to strengthen the capacity of
journalists to hold Government accountable in areas of good governance, also
threw up opportunity to equip participants
with extra media oversight capacities as well as develop critical, creative and
strategic thinking skills.
Twenty participants who were in attendance cut across both print and
electronic media from Akwa Ibom State.
This Paper can report that participants used the opportunity to
appreciate the organizers of the workshop including EED for the opportunity
afforded them to benefit from the said programme.
Participants commended Akwa Ibom
State Government for the development of infrastructure in the state but noted
that necessary legislations to guarantee good governance were not in place in
the State thereby posing a threat to the sustenance of such initiative beyond
governor Akpabio’s administration.
It condemn the recent arrest of
journalists by some overzealous police officers for covering a protest by
former councilors in Akwa Ibom State.
Participants also noted that despite the constitutional provisions that
empowers Journalists in Chapter 2(22) of the 1999 Constitution as amended; Journalists
were not taking advantage of such provisions to track government expenditure
and ensure that it synchronized with revenue inflow.
According to the participants, external influence/interference
from media owners and other well placed Nigerians were found to limit the
extent to which journalists could exert their professional skills to hold
government accountable on issues of good governance.
Participants also noted that poor remuneration and welfare/security
for Journalists were critical challenges militating against the proper
performance and good professional conduct of the average media personnel,
thereby creating a limitation to the extent to which they could report.
The Communique was signed on behalf of the
participants by Comrade Emmanuel Effiong, UPDATE Newspaper and Chairman, Federated
Chapel of the Nigeria Nigeria Journalist, Akwa Ibom State Chapter and Innocent Edemhanria of
Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ) as facilitator.
Presentations were made by Mr Tony Abolo of Tonbole Productions
Ltd and Mr Dada from Benin City.
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